Rojava News

Well if you could spend time on reading about Rojava and Kurdish movement in general,as much as you try to make fun of great "kurdish anarchists" or post your spiritual leader's self-contradictory and (factually) ignorant and empirically empty texts in all of the world languages. you could see that it was already published by KAF however with a different title (and very bad formatting). However unlike you when I read it easily regonise it and said to myself "wait a minute I already read this stuff propably on libcom". Anyway your accusations and attitude towards Zaher is just shit in my opinion and it kills any fruitful discussion from the start.

Also do I need to remind you that this thread is a "Rojava News" thread? If you want to discuss stuff post it then criticize it. If you have no news (like; racist kurds killing arabs again), then go away!

Nesrin Abdullah used her speech to respond to allegations that after the recent liberation of the city of Girê Spî (Tel Abyad) from Daesh, the YPG/YPJ were discriminating between different groups and replacing Turks and Arabs with Kurds.

"We don't have any goal of occupying the region or displacing the peoples living there. There was a call for the people to return; the majority have done so and people are continuing to do so," said Nesrin.She noted that Kurdish forces have helped found an association to aid women from Raqqa and Tel Abyad who have been victimized or abducted by Daesh. In addition, they are providing for the daily needs of the people without any discrimination.

"Life is returning to normal there," said Nesrin."We are saying this now: anyone who wants to travel there and observe the situation on the ground can do so. There have been opportunities created for this."

Nesrin also answered questions about the difference between the YPG and YPJ. She explained that the two groups share a philosophical commitment to gender equality and a new life, but that the YPJ is an autonomous, self-governing organization. "[The YPJ] has its own line of struggle: the liberation of women," said Nesrin.

"The Rojava revolution is a women's revolution," said Nesrin. She noted that the YPJ has emerged as an answer to the savagery of Daesh. "As women, against this kind of savage enemy, war is an honor." However, she said, the YPJ is not only a military organization, but aims to organize all women in society.

Redur Halil says: "although all of the Syria would love if the raqqa is taken we currently have no such plan." He denies the news saying the contrary.

I am really not sure why this difference between the times and YPG is very obvious now, I would really love to know the source of this constant contradiction between these two..

Part of the confusion might be Raqqa the governorate and Raqqa the city, Aleppo the governorate and Aleppo the city, and Al-Hasakah the governorate and Al-Hasakah the city. Aleppo governorate includes Efrin city, Kobane city and parts of the Efrin and Kobane cantons. Raqqa governorate includes Tel Abyad and Sere Kaniye and parts of the Kobane and Cizire Canton. Al-Hasakah governorate includes Al-Hasakah city, Qamshlo, Khabour river valley, Tal Barak Tel Hamis and other parts of Cizire Canton. So YPG is advancing in Raqqa, Al-Hasakah and Aleppo, but the YPG is not seiging Raqqa city yet (and frankly, is unlikely too without considerable FSA and/or Arab support).

Most likely, YPG will surround Sarrin, siege it. They will also probably take Tishrin dam. They will then cross the Euphrates and go for Manjib and Jarabulus and do so by supporting Burkan Al-Firat in the lead, particularly the Jarabulus brigade (Saraya Jarabulus) in the lead along with Jabhat al-Akrad and Jaysh al-Thuwar (including whatever is left of Harakat Hazzm). The Islamic State is unlikely to destroy the Tishrin dam (as they have blown up all the other bridges along the Euphrates river) as that would be a crime against humanity that would most negatively effect the very capitol they are supposedly trying to protect--Raqqa.

Before the rise of the Islamic State, the YPG controlled a considerable area in Northern Aleppo between Efrin and Jarabulus. It was a Kurdish majority area before the war. They could presumably move into the area of Islamic State control in Northern Aleppo and find it easier than sieging Raqqa. They could also move resources between Efrin and Cizirie freely. They could also connect to Sheikh Maqsood in northern Aleppo. Efrin YPG has recently "volunteered" to take over the border crossing at Azaz from the FSA so that the Islamic state doesn't take it.

31 October 2013:

Folks in the YPG have stated that they will pursue Daesh anywhere they were, but that is mostly just rhetoric. Are they going to Yemen, Libya, etc... ? No.

It makes most sense for them to connect the cantons and liberate Sinjar.

Also, the Times article is highlighting FSA/YPG taking Ayn Issa and the Brigade 93 army base. While they are on the road to Raqqa, they more importantly help the YPG finish securing the strategic M-4 highway that runs from Aleppo, crossing the Euphrates then running along the defacto Rojava border in Kobane, into Cizire canton, through Qamshlo, to the Al-Ya'rubiyah border crossing with Iraq (that even includes a railroad line). At this point, the YPG probably cares far more about holding M4 than it does removing Daesh from Raqqa. Securing M4 is also likely why YPG just started an operation to take Sarrin.

This is old news, but it is a series of questions to Salih Muslim about the Cizire canton elections and the KNC party boycott of that election. I hadn't seen it before, and I imagine most folks haven't.

Quote:

Q: You are being accused for setting up cantons. In the future do you have any thoughts or ideas about connecting the cantons? And after uniting them, will you have a referendum, like the KRG?

Quote:

A: I have a question which I want answered. As you know, what is happening in Syria has now been four years of chaos. What is supposed to happen to people who are left without any leadership or protection? I want this question about the future of these people to be answered. In answer to this we decided to establish the cantons. We were forced to establish them, we were forced to build something led by the people. We wanted to organize people so that they wouldn’t live in hunger, and teach them how to protect themselves. We were forced to establish a structure and this, as you saw, was a question for the people. This project was not forced on the people, and it was chosen not only by Kurds but also by Assyrian-Syriacs, Arabs and others who share the same destiny and who live with us in the area. They created a council and in that council they made that decision. We as the PYD had democratic self-rule. Our project was not to build those kinds of cantons but our project was not against it too. We had several different projects, we sought Rojava as one piece but we were forced to build those kinds of cantons. Our goal was to connect all the cantons, but as you know ISIS was present in many parts. We were forced to establish that setup because we were not willing to let ISIS harm our people or to live under their control. We had two choices, either let the people suffer under ISIS or protect our people by letting them organize and lead themselves. We saw the creation of cantons to be a good way of protecting the people. In the future we intend to unite Rojava and connect the cantons to one another. But we want to be open, so that Kurds live with other minorities in Rojava - Arabs, Turkmen and Assyrian-Syriac-Chaldeans. What you see in the Cizire canton is an example for the other parts. It is a very clever project. We think that this project is good not only for the Kurdish area, but for others to use in other parts of Syria. This is the first project that’s succeeding in the Middle East. There is no other democratic project like this, of this measure in the Middle East. It is not only democratic, but also does not silence ‘minorities’. It brings them closer to the project so that they can represent their culture and identity. And let’s not forget the main aspect of this society which is women-centered, encouraging them and putting them in power. For that our enemies (ISIS) are not happy.

Quote:

Q: A couple of days ago there was an election in Rojava and in the Cizire canton in particular. There were some who did not join it and accused you of being a dictator and your party (PYD) of killing and harassing people.

Quote:

A: You have to understand what kind of elections they were and for what. In the Cizire canton, we have many cities and towns such as Derik, Qamishli, Serekaniye etc. and many villages that were left without leadership. Many municipalities were left without any leadership and they could not assist the people. Many bakeries were left without people running them and they could not serve the people. When you hire someone to lead, those same parties who left the bakeries accuse us that we hire people from our own party. So we wanted to establish elections so that whoever is elected will lead the people. We wanted to have elections among the people, this is not a new idea. This was supposed to happen two years ago, and as you know, before, there were many municipalities connected to the regime. Most left when the regime left. These people who were taking command temporarily were not the authorized to continue, because they were temporarily there. The elected leaders who were voted by the people will have to work for the people. We wanted to establish elections and we had a council made from this election. This council, which everyone knows the name of had no connection to us, they were neutral and are in the leadership of the self-administration. They are made up of Kurds, Assyrians-Syriacs, and Arabs. The council was not a new idea; it’s been two years since this decision was taken by us and other parties in a meeting in Hewler (Erbil). Those parties were asking us to delay it. So we delayed it for two years but now we cannot delay it any longer because those people need leadership and we want to give it to them. We asked those parties to appoint their representatives in the elections and whoever gets voted let him/her take the chair just like in any other democratic nation. This council gathered with other parties and other political powers in Rojava. They decided to have an election on the 15th of March, which everyone agreed on. A week before elections some people published statements saying they were not concerned about the elections. The election council visited them and asked them to appoint their representative inside the council and to choose names for their candidates. The council asked them: in your statement you are saying this election is not your concern so what can we, the council, do to make it right? The council asked them how they can leave the municipalities without leadership. Will we do that? Of course not. And they said, you’re right there is nothing wrong with it but we have to delay it. The council asked them, “till when?” and they answered “later”. The council asked them: “when? One month?” They replied: “later, later”. The council asked them, “two, three months?” They repeated the same answer. The council asked them to write a new statement that showed them requesting to delay the elections and wait two months but they never did. The council had to continue with the elections. Let me tell you this openly: I think there are some people that just want to provoke. They don’t want to see Rojava as a symbol of freedom and democracy in the area, they don’t want to see Rojava in a good shape. If we kept delaying elections we would not see Rojava, we would not see cantons or leadership. If we did not start, our women and wives would be sold in the markets. Our people would be left without any protection. You can take postponement to a certain limit but after that it can’t be taken any more. And if you make a statement for that purpose, it’s only to provoke. We wish those people to rethink those steps and rethink what will benefit the Kurdish nation. We want to teach them, and teach our people the basic rules of democracy. To hold a pen and write freely on what democracy means by voting. And as you know in the future we would have elections for the leaderships and let the people choose what they want. We want them to join in the leadership of cantons and elections which will be in July or August. We want to establish that election and want to help them. We want everyone to join that election. It is for all our country not only for us. This election council is made by the decision of the Duhok-Erbil meeting. Even in the Hewler meeting we decided that we had to have elections that had been delayed for one and a half years. And in the Duhok meeting we made the same decision that we had to have an election, but three months later they couldn’t choose their representatives in the council to lead Rojava due to arguments amongst themselves about dividing the powers between themselves. Above all that they just give orders if they don’t have their own rights to do it. You have to be serious when you do a job, and if you are not going to do it, don’t say you are going to do it and then withdraw. And when you say you are going to do it and you are not going to do it; it becomes a children’s game.

Answers: Salih Muslim, PYD co-chairman, 21 March 2015

With any luck, I may soon get an answer in regards to the Tev-Dem plans for the organization and distribution of product of the Lafarge Cement Plant soon.

The number of deaths reached 146 today (injuries more than 500 according to another news) . IS militants captured a school and attack from there and has hostages. Due to that YPG engage with a fight with a very "controlled" manner, not to harm civilians. However this extends the fight as well. Human Rights Observatıry says this is the second largest massacre by IS against civilians.

Flint I don't know if you did shared it on purpose but despite ongoing (well it is not going anywhere actually but) peace process between PKK and Turkish state and one-sided ceasefire by Kurdish forces, yesterday Turkish air force bombed a region under the control of Kurds in the mountains. PKK said Turkey ended the ceasefire themselves now and they have a right to retaliate now, though I do not think they will use it immediately.

On the other hand Turkish state is bringing military personal and equipment to the border and there is a talk of establishment of a safety corridor in Syria, which might mean fighting versus YPG as well. PKK said if they do such a thing they will consider it as an attack to Amed (capital city of kurdistan) and retaliate with equal force. So it is getting tense in here a bit.

I hesitate to post sabre-rattling. It sounds like that Erdogan wanted to create a "buffer zone" between Jarabulus and Azaz to "protect Turkey", but also shove all the Syrian refugees into that zone, but really about putting the Turkish army in the way of linking Afrin and Kobane cantons, and who knows maybe continue supply Islamist/Nursa/Daesh (depending on how conspiracy minded you are). But that the Army doesn't want to do that.

While I think parliament chose an AKP speaker, it still hasn't formed a government yet?

So maybe Erdogan is serious, maybe he's just looking to get some MHP voters to go his way in a snap eelection. Hard to say. Impossible for us to know the minds of Erdogan and generals.

So, I hesitate to post stories that are just talk. And, unfortunately, small scale shelling or bombing by the military of Turkey on Qandil happens as often as the rain, no? And still the PKK largely has held its fire.

Yeah there is still no goverment.
The latest bombing was the biggest since last three years. And first time pkk said the state broke the ceasefire.
Well this buffer zone talk might get real.
also yesterday Al jeazere published a talk with a turkmen leader who says pyd displaced 5000 turkmens. I think the turkmens just support the turkish state vrrsus kurds though.

Poor Emma, she surely must be turning in her grave while reading this kind bullshit. I'm very skeptical that she would stay long on a supportive position about the fantastic PKK/PYD "revolution" in Rojava. Here is what she wrote about another myth and imposture some decades ago:

Quote:

"I believed fervently that the Bolsheviki were furthering the Revolution and exerting themselves in behalf of the people. I clung to my faith and belief for more than a year after my coming to Russia.

Observation and study, extensive travel through various parts of the country, meeting with every shade of political opinion and every variety of friend and enemy of the Bolsheviki — all convinced me of the ghastly delusion which had been foisted upon the world.

I refer to these circumstances to indicate that my change of mind and heart was a painful and difficult process, and that my final decision to speak out is for the sole reason that the people everywhere may learn to differentiate between the Bolsheviki and the Russian Revolution."

"Anti-War" was deliberately misrepresenting a quotation. That's intellectually dishonest and it makes their contributions to discussion circumspect.

Who knows what Emma Goldman would have thought. We do know that Zeki Yılmaz and Su Ender, of the International of Anarchist Federations have a favorable view of Rojava. Maybe you would also have a favorable view if you went. Or you can keep digging around for century old quotes you think apply to the situation.

It is interesting that JINHA wants to promote the IAF support.

I tend to weigh the opinion of people who actually go places and talk to others more than those who do not (including myself in that category). You, ofcourse, will use your own criteria for determining what is happening (or not happening) in Rojava.

Confirmation that Western volunteers get the same ideological training course that the rest of the YPG/YPJ get.

Quote:

Some Westerners are not so left-leaning, and bemoan the fact that Ocalan’s "democratic confederalism", which espouses a libertarian socialist ideology derived from the writings of the US anarchist Murray Bookchin, is drilled into them by their Kurdish instructors during their initial training upon arrival.

Social Insurrection was founded in 2013 in the tents of resistance in Tuzluçayır. (District in Istanbul Turkey - translator)

Why did you prefer a black and green flag?

Both because of the memory of Makhno peasants and also because of the fact that we are also ecologists.

What sort of a structure does Social Insurrection have?

We defend class war and reject neo-liberal anarchism. Mostly we have classical anarchist, Makhno and Proudhonian comrades. Generally, we have a platformist comprehension. We can call Social Insurrection as: we didn’t take Bakunin, Proudhon, Luigi, Galleani, Malatesta etc as they were. We examined every anarchist and added our own thoughts and said that we are the Social Insurrectionists.

When did you enter the armed struggle?

We defended armed struggle from the beginning of our foundation. Specifically, we were influenced by the view of insurrectionist anarchism of Alfredo M. Bonanno. We founded our own insurrectionist theory. We believe that the revolution will start with armed struggle. First, 3-5 armed acts in Turkish slums like Okmeydanı and now, this all led us to Kobane. But first of all, we dreamed about it.. If we hadn't dreamed about it and tried to practice it, we would just be drinking beers in a bar in Kadıköy or Beyoğlu. Some of our comrades stayed as they were.

You're definitely and definitively being dishonest. it's rare to meet somebody so "mauvaise foi" (in French in the original text) exept of course "Our Beloved Great Leader" kurremkarmerruk who is the master of the universe in this connection. There's no need to give any example. Everybody is able to find some on this blog. You definitively put me right off discussing with you!

And I personaly don't care about your "libertarian socialist ideology derived from the writings of the US anarchist Murray Bookchin" which is nothing but just an umpteenth Social-Democratic attempt to deny and suppress proletarian struggles: MB himself pretended that he didn't "believe" anymore to the affirmation of class struggle, the role of the proletariat and he even didn't talk anymore about "revolution" which for me seems to be something good because the lesser reformists claim the essence of social revolution, the better it is for drawing a clear and clarificative demarcation line between reformers and destroyers of capitalism...

There is this article:http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Who-is-doing-ethnic-cleansing-in-Syria-408407
I do not know about this website at all. However the Malcom X quote here, is spot on. Please read it as a note of caution for all well intended but misinformed comrades that somehow fall into believing state propaganda in hopes of achieving an objective standpoint of X (something... class/internationalism... whatever....). Ideological conviction is not bad in itself but it must be kept checked with concrete contents (with self-criticism). It is very ironic that those who basically call others of being blind followers, seems to be best players in being lost in their ideological convictions and supporting their arguments with state sources or totally unrelated historical comparisons. And unfortunately think what they are doing is making a demarcation between them (the destroyers of capitalism [including fictious anti-kurdish propaganda news and texts produced by IS and Turkey related media agencies] and others (class collaborationist crowd [ well basically anyone who thinks that Kurdish movement is formulating a rather interesting and a progressive proposal in its locality and anyone who does not approach everything from the perspective of immediate global revolution] )

Also: Turkish Human Right's Society's Commisison is in Kobanehttp://www.imctv.com.tr/103096/2015/07/ihd-heyeti-kobanide/
(Well they are considered to be for kurds by Turkish state, but this is because as the human rights of Kurds are so violated by state this practically made the society a pro-kurdish one )

Hasakah: SAA/NDF continues to dwindle before ISIS attacks and YPG claiming areas SAA/NDF abandons. As ISIS presses from Nashwah neighborhood into SAA-controlled city center, YPG has come around the south at the Abyad bridge to cut off ISIS supply route and trap them in Nashwah. Folks might also want to note the expansion of MFS and Sutoro into Christian neighborhoods formerly under SAA/NDF control.

YPG/Burkan Al-Firat encircles Sarrin, which is regarded as key for eventually seizing the Tishrin dam to the south--currently the only crossing point on the Euphrates River for the YPG to go west towards Jarabulus and Manbij. Jordan Matson-a U.S. foreign fighter with the YPG-recently speaking in Sweden stated that the YPG strategy of heading towards Jarabulus border crossing was obvious.

ISIS has increased attacks on the PKK and Iraqi KRG Peshmerga who are defending Makhmur and Kirkuk. Makhmur has a large refugee camp made up of 15000 Kurdish refugees who left Turkey in 1994. They are seen as sympathetic to the PKK and a base of recruitment. ISIS briefly took Makhmur for 3 days in August 2014 before they were then expelled by the PKK and Peshmerga. PKK guerillas are in Sinjar, Rabee'a, Shekhan, Makhmour, Kirkuk, Jalawala and Khanqen.

Rojava is still under economic embargo by KRG. Jordan Matson mentioned 27 guntrucks which the KRG is not allowing to cross the border into Rojava. KRG suggested Peshmerga be sent to Rojava. KCK: We are Not Authorised to Decide on Syrian Kurdish Peshmerga Return (This is important in that the KCK is acknowledging that authority about what happens in Rojava is TEV-DEM's decision, not the KCK's decision.)

Dêrik stated that the Constituent Assembly was composed of people from Girê Spî and nobody would come from Qamişlo or Kobanê in order to govern Girê Spî. Dêrik highlighted the importance of self-governance and invited everyone to lay the foundations of co-existence and Democratic Syria in Girê Spî. Dêrik described YPG/YPJ, Burkan El Fırat and Asayiş fighters as the military and security forces of Girê Spî, and emphasized that the assembly should welcome everyone and have executive powers in order to construct a new life in the city.
Representatives from the Turkmen, Arab and Armenian peoples of Girê Spî spoke after Ferhat Dêrik. Gazi Tirkmanî spoke on behalf of Turkmens, and Turkmen and Armenian representatives demanded the solution of their communities’ problems. The Arab representative said that Arab residents wanted to live in a secure environment, and demanded the establishment of a political will for the governance of the region. Kobanê Canton Foreign Relations Council Spokesperson İdris Nahsan stated that they would work towards the establishment of an assembly composed of their constituents.

In order for society to similarly resist without being militarist, it must refrain from imitating state-like concepts of force and instead protect communalist values, deriving its power from the grassroots. Society, especially women, Öcalan claims, must first of all “xwebûn,” or be oneself. Only with the realization of one’s own existence and its meaning, can one claim the right to live and defend oneself and the community. This must be based on a society that is politicized, self-aware, conscious, and active, while internalizing community-loving ethics — including fundamental values such as the commitment to women’s liberation, rather than relying on law enforced by the capitalist state and its police apparatus. What turned Kurdistan into a pilgrimage site for women and anti-system movements around the world was this ideological stance that defended life, in the face of an army of death...

It is not a coincidence that the first standing armies emerged with the rise of accumulation of wealth, which also marked the institutionalization of patriarchy and the predecessors of the state. The nation-state insidiously asserts its existence by drawing borders between communities, creating paranoia and xenophobia where there have been mosaics of cultures for centuries. Thus, if we are committed to defending society, we must also philosophically tackle all attacks on society, since systems of domination and hierarchy first establish themselves in thought.

Dualisms like man-woman, state-society, human-nature aim to portray hierarchical relationships as natural. What Thomas Hobbes called “homo homini lupus est” to legitimize the unchallengeable leviathan called the state, is practiced big-brother style in our modern times. We must challenge the fascist history-writing that belittles society and objectifies nature and instead practically seek solutions to social problems with a “sociology of freedom” centered around the voices and experiences of the oppressed.

Against the racist premises of the separatist nation-state order and its mental and physical borders, society must strengthen the notion of the “democratic nation,” conceptualized by Öcalan to dissociate the idea of the nation from meaningless ethnic forms of belonging, to strengthen a more meaningful ethical unity based on principles like women’s freedom, especially in the era of the Islamic State group. The Rojava Revolution, where Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs, Turkmens, and Chechens try to create a new alternative system together, rests on this political notion.

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